Added: 2 years ago
From: martin000ec
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  • OK. Now you've listenned. You've understood. Shut your computer and join the occupy wall street. Here in Europe we are ready too. Let's do that "no god, no master, no flag, no frontier, no car, no money" world our forfathers have dreamt !

  • Not only does Iris have a beautiful voice, but she actually has political opinions (that don't conform with the right wing pablum spouted by many country artists)...!

  • haven't listened to this for a while....now sitting here blinking back the tears at what this nation has devolved into....vs. what it COULD be. thanks iris for telling it like it is, and thanks for posting this.

  • America has become a wasteland. Constitutional Rights no longer exist. Functional working members of society thrown in Prison for attempting to work in the U.S.A. Some Christians use more profanity than a sailor at the Diego Catina.Then this song is banned for content . When a Nation sell's their self out to foreign Nations freedom becomes a piece of American History.

  • Capitalism means freedom only if you have lots of money. The poor could just as well live in a dictatorship

  • That should be the new National Anthem.

    It lays the cold ugly truth right on our lap.

    Do you suppose we'll have the guts to do anything about it?

  • This should be the official song of the "Occupy" movement.

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  • Sing out Iris.. great lyrics

    ' where poor working people are treated like the enemy '

    no wonder they want to ban your song in the Wasteland of the Free

  • She is wonderful ...of course the establishment hated her..just as bad in UK, I'm not knocking the states, we are just as bad....Lotsa guts this lady

  • best thing i've heard since Bob Dylan's Desolation Row.... which was ,incredibly almost fifty year ago.yikes,,,.lol

  • it ought to be the damn national anthem, to be honest! it's hardly surprising that the Repubs don't like it... as Truman said, tell'em the truth and they'll think it's hell.

  • Great song.. and a very appropriate time for it as Occupy Wall Street is in the news daily.. Our nation spends more on military than every other nation in the world COMBINED. And that is without a Soviet threat anymore. We have military bases all over the globe.. Protecting our Allies.. While our allies in Europe get free health care and we have 50 million without healthcare. Folks losing homes.. Banks with record profits.. Ms Dement is right on!

  • It's a wonderful song and she performs it with real conviction. Iris loves her country but she's clearly unhappy about aspeacts of American society. Nothing wrong with putting those sentiments into a song. A good song too.

  • @frankbelfast15 Just a lesson to be gained in this song: Really, don't piss off the women in this country, they will come after you with fangs bared....

  • Truth sayer! I say Amen sista!!!!

    Standing up for what you believe in many of our ancestors died for us to have this right and we shall keep it! After all true democracy is speaking up for what you believe in that's American!

  • Truth sayer! I say Amen sista!!!!

  • Oh and God forbid we put people who commit crimes in jail.

  • @K31swiss You can put them in jail, if they are guilty of a crime greater than poverty and skin color. But dont treat them like farm animals. You know how cops and prison guards love to get into the butts of poor people, hazing and raping and all that fun good old boy stuff? Thats what I hate.

  • @K31swiss I don't know, seems you got to turn off Fox News and start thinking for yourself!

  • @martin000ec You are right. You don't know. I don't even get Fox News. Cable TV is too expensive for something I don't have time to watch anyway.

  • @K31swiss Oh my gosh... Cars? big screen tv's?... That is what life's about!!!!!! How dare people say Americans are stupid!!! ;-)

  • @K31swiss See - Notes on the social crisis in America, By Naomi Spencer, 12 September 2011 at World Socialist Website. I quote -

    'An Ohio man without insurance dies of a tooth infection; a Georgia university opens a food pantry for students; Florida cities seek to drive out homeless population ahead of Republican convention; and other reports on social distress in the US'

  • This song is, for me, even more relevant now than it was 15 years ago. I would like to believe that a day will come when it is totally irrelevant.

  • @K31swiss ... We have a healthcare system that ranks at the bottom of the advanced nations on earth because the insurance and pharmaceutical lobby's pay off our politicians.. We imprison more people than any nation on earth.. execute more than any nation on earth... We spend more on military armament than all other nations on earth (not even including the wars) Just because we sprinkle color tv's and big macs to our people to keep them "dumbed down" doesn't pass the mustard. Shameful

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  • @K31swiss I don't know what world you're living in, Kswiss. Keep that steady IV of conservative hacks and pundits flowing through your veins, should keep you nice and sedate. Equal opportunity is a myth, democracy is a sham, and the American Dream fits right into its pipe. Please, for the sake of your children, go read a book on public policy and poverty.

  • @aaronjsolomon

    Ehh, dumbass, "Our town" and "Let the Mystery Be" are both based on 100% liberal/progressive values.

    Maybe you should listen to Hank Williams Jr

  • Patriotic dissent is a luxury of those protected by better men than they.

  • @K31swiss, patriotic dissent is bought by the blood of those better men; what better way to honor their sacrifice than to freely express that dissent?

  • @gstlb I agree 100%. I just think the logic of her song is stupid, but I defend her right to say it.

  • @K31swiss Why is it that people like you equate political views you don't agree with, with being dumb?

    It makes people wonder about your own intelligence when you can't distinguish the difference between an point of view with being mentally handicapped.

  • @K31swiss Yeah, because veterans never have, do not now, and never will express dissent to the American social system.

  • Caution to young songwriers: This is what happens when you write songs whiile your really pissed off. I am not saying its a bad thing (very good actually) but this is what happen....Interestingly, Iris pretty much called the economic theft/collapse of 2008 in this song years before it happened. You would have thought people would have finally stood up, but we didn't. There is good protest music, but it can't find an outlet...and the class war is over, and you lost.

  • @gurlsingerfan You're not looking in the right places. The people are standing up in Wisconsin. Madison will be the birthplace of the people movement.

  • @MsJCBurke Wisconsin is as good a place as any :-) I am a southerner from KY, but I have been to Wisconsin several times, Shaboygon county area (Elkhart Lake and points south) and have always felt welcome. Wisconsin has a long "progressive" history, and I have read they are putting up a good struggle on the collective bargaining issue. They are showing courage in the face of overwhelming odds, good luck to them.

  • Goddamn thats an amazing song.

  • I heard this played on wncw dot org on Friday- I hadn't heard it in 10 years..brought me right to the brink of tears...again, especially these days as our country keeps getting dumbed down and people voting against their best interests...I say turn off your tvs and tune in to non profit radio...the art is on the air, and so are the modern day Woody Guthries and Hazel Dickens (RIP - yesterday)...

  • A soul with genuine compassion. A rare thing.

  • Iris Dement! You light up the universe!

  • Thanks for the post Martin...

    You done good Mano.

    Awesome, and Powerfull message from one of my favorite people on the planet.

  • Right on g66ee Im from UK you try and find anyone that will admit to voting Tory last time, you'll be lucky. I've had a tee-shirt made with the title of this song on it, and will wear it proudly next month on a March through London protesting at the cuts and the" Big Society" what a joke that is.

  • Iris Dement is an American National Treasure. Thank you for this footage!

  • Grab the audio from this tune at tubepull doht cohm.

  • you go girl  true that

  • you go girl

  • Rebirth of the protest song.

    What a brave brilliant beautiful woman.

  • The video may be shakey but the message is solid as a rock.

  • Tripod maybe? Yeah. Maybe get a tripod. Or prop the camera on that fence. Get the camera real still. Then just shake it. SHAKE IT. Great job!

  • This song reflects what is happening in the UK as well,the rich get richer the poor get poorer and the blame for the mess of capitalism. Cut this and cut that but do not touch the rich. It is the same story all over the world.WAKE UP WORLD and throw these fat capitalists over and start a new society that reflectswhat working people do and share the resources out .Did you know in England secong home owners only pay 50% of tax on their second homes.

  • Go Iris, go Iris!

  • this song was banned on npr due to content

  • @ynotryme I did a litle Googling and could not find anything about NPR banning the song. However, I found this interesting bit about a Republican (of course) Senator named John Grant. He tried to cut funding to a public radio station WNNF-FM for playing the song. Since I can't post a link on youtube, google World Socialist Web Site and in the search box type Iris Dement. The first article tells this story.

  • @martin000ec wouldn't that be unconstitutional, i.e. to prohibit free speech?

  • @martin000ec FL state Sen Grant was successful in having WMNF's funding withdrawn. The station was receiving about $100K a year from the state. When news of the passage of Grant's bill was received we held a 24 hour marathon fundraiser and raised $124K in that time. We beat that record after Hurricane Katrina in 16 hours. I wasn't part of the fundraising in 1997 but I was for the final 5 hours of the Katrina marathon. This song is WMNF's unofficial theme song. It's aired all the time.

  • @MrSouthernDragon That's a great story, I'm glad WMNF has adopted it as their unofficial theme song.

    It's more apropos today than ever thanks to the mean spirited people of the GOP.

  • @martin000ec Steve Earle said compassionate conservatism is conservatively compassionate

  • @cwill128 Steve Earle says a lot of stupid things. Make great music though.

  • @ynotryme, I first heard this song on NPR.

  • @ynotryme ever hear of the first amendment?

  • it dont get much better for me,thanks

  • I hear people complaining that no one writes "protest" songs these days. Well, some people write them and play them, but the media is not going to broadcast them. The radio and TV outlets are now owned by a small group of wealthy firms who keep the message "corporate friendly" so any message that don't fit the party line doesn't get out. Either way, Iris was apparently pretty pissed off when she wrote this, she doesn't hold anything back!

  • I'm always stuck on the outer looking in nowadays too. You did a great job of the audio capture, and with Iris, that's the main thing. Thanks.

  • I wish someone would make a picture video showing whats happened as she sings and plays this very factual Song.

  • What could I possible say after hearing that laser insight what wouldn't be babbling except THANK you for bringing us back on tract.

  • Bravo! -Bravo! 

  • Fantastic. Great voice, great lyrics.

  • This song speaks truth.

  • Love This Song - Right On

  • Damn straight, Iris. Wow, I'm happy to see you following in the footsteps of Woody Guthrie.

  • Cool song, Iris is the real deal, thanks for posting

  • courageous lyrics. right to the point. more singer/songwriters could use a dose guts to write and perform a song like this.

  • strong song...tellin it like it is

  • thanks for posting!! this might be the best post on youtube!!

  • When folk and country gives up its working-class roots, folk and country is dead.

    You choice: Iris or Las Vegas, Woody or Time-Warner, Cisco or Rupert Murdoch, Pete or Sony Music, Dylan or Bill Gates, Bruce or Steve Jobs, .

    The choice is yours, kids.

    When so-called admirers of "folk" music, turn their backs on their own folk and support the rich folk, you know things are "folked up".

  • @K31swiss Geez, I don't think anybody that can write songs like Iris could possibly be dumb, genius is more like it!

  • @martin000ec I agree martin, especially since she wrote this pre 9/11. She has an astounding insight! Genius may not be a stong enough word!

  • @K31swiss ...van morrison sings a lyric in the song "Why Must I Always Explain"....he says...."now it's out on the highway and it's on with the show... always telling people things they're too lazy to know."

    are you forced to criticize her because YOU are the dumb one? is she striking a chord with you when she refers to YOU in every line of this song? folks like you are a dime a dozen, and with inflation, that ain't much.

  • @K31swiss Dumb????????? Jeeeeeez, if anyone is dumb, then you're the dumbest fuck ever, idiot. Holy shit, you should a been locked up...

  • @K31swiss

    I wish we had a few million more just like her...dumb?.....lol....whateve­r you wabnt to call her is fine with me just so long as we heed the message!

  • @K31swiss Certain people's definition of "dumb" is, being right when it is politically correct to be wrong.

  • @K31swiss

    "Genius creates; others imitate"

    ~~cc

  • most truthful song about America ever

  • It's a shame she's become so bitter and cynical. I really don't need some old folk singer to give me social commentary. Paint pretty pictures of real people in real lives Iris...........this 60s protest stuff shines a glaring light on your personal depression........and is therefore NOT what I call entertainment.

  • @catndryer you work on wall street or something? she just painted the most honest picture of america I have ever looked upon...maybe you live somewhere different?

  • @catndryer the shame is that our nation has sunk to the levels of corruption and consumerist  idiocy that she's describing. the cynic, catndryer...is you

  • @moonlitme that stuff has been around for a century. the differnece now is that people like you want to sit back and whine about it instead of getting out and doing something about it. you got a trophy for losing.....and got used to the concept.

  • @catndryer Are you daft? It's been around since mankind. The first stepping in doing something about it is bringing it to attention. Not only did you fail to here the facts of the song but you compounded it by drawing a false conclusion.

  • @catndryer do you know me? no. i'm not gonna drink your purple corporate flavor-ade. get over yourself.

  • @catndryer what the ? you don't know me, you don't know what i do or don't do. i'm not sure where you get off with your cynical judgementalism, but you can skip my stop. whatever beam you got in your eye pray to your jesus to remove it before you wander out into traffic and hurt yourself. i'm pretty certain he wants to talk to you anyway.

  • You've captured an amazing moment there... & I for one appreciate you sharing this incredible lady's amazing talent for us to see. It would be a special thing to see her sing live. Thanks for sharing...

  • Message of the song is well worth putting up with the shaky camera!

  • @ThePeggyMiller Yes, I totally agree. 

  • nice shaking camera faggot

  • @FissionNonStop Sorry, I had the DT's that day...maggot :-7

  • @martin000ec Nothin' like a bluegrass festival to give you the DT's! Haha, unusually good sound quality though. What sort of camera you using dude?

  • @Vincenzo0786 Yes that bluegrass can do strange stuff to you. The camera is a Panasonic SDR H-18 with 32X optical zoom. I was a good distance away and hand held the camera at full zoom.

  • @FissionNonStop ....you know, a simple 'thanks for posting this incredible performance' would've sufficed, instead of insulting him. 

  • Great song!

  • I wish someone would add Gulf photos as this song is sung. Indeed its Wasteland of the Free there.

  • Listen to the words and you must agree.

  • @starlight1946 More today in 2010 than ever before!

  • @alienhuman Ditto

  • Hard to believe this is the only post of this song on the tube.

  • @alienhuman it isn't! look for ''iris dement off the record''. She plays a beautiful piano-accompanied version in that.

  • Thank you, for showing that not every rural person is buying into the line of the rich and the entrenched, thinking that more reaganomics, theocracy, and nationalist expansion is going to solve our problems. They've turned liberal and leftist into dirty words, and it's time for the American working class to stand up for itself again!

  • im a huge iris fan...never heard this before

  • @chiledoug wow doug, not as huge a fan as you thought huh?

  • Thanks for posting.....LOVE this song...

  • Ain't nuttin' like wootin' rednecks to perfect this fine performance. Thanks for posting.

  • Nice. Thanks for posting.

  • Glad you like it!

  • Thanks a lot, Martin000ec, for this great video of the incomparable Iris. Nothing like a great protest song - and how right she was...is?

  • I agree 100%, and yes is!

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